He grew up in Alabama, and worked in restaurants both down-home and in Italy before graduating with honors from Le Cordon Bleu (culinary school) in Pasadena, CA. When asked about a dish that he prepares at home, he suggested a concoction that shows off his Southern roots. A pan-seared sea bass served on a bed of jicama slaw, accompanied with pone bread.

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Sea Bass with Jicama Slaw and Pone Bread

Yield: 4 servings

Dressing:

1 tablespoon minced lime zest (colored portion of peel)

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon chili powder, ancho chili powder preferred

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup canola oil

1/4 cup finely minced cilantro leaves

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Jicama Slaw:

1 large jicama, peeled, cut into 1-inch long matchsticks (julienned)

2 cups shredded carrots

1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded, cut into small dice

1/2 pineapple, peeled, cut into small diced

Pone Bread:

3/4 cup white cornmeal

3/4 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 egg

4 strips bacon

2 tablespoons bacon fat (rendered from bacon)

Fish:

Four (about 6-ounces each) sea bass fillets (skin off, boned)

1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

Optional if needed for sautéing: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Garnish: 4 lime wedges

Garnish: cilantro leaves

Cook's notes: Pone bread or corn pone is an extremely popular dish in the southern United States. It's like eggless cornbread that is fried in small ovals or rounds. Some might argue that Gibson's pone breads are Jonnycakes.

2. Prepare pone bread: In a medium-large bowl, mix cornmeal, salt, pepper and Old Bay Seasoning. Make a well in center of dry mixture, pushing ingredients toward the sides of the bowl; add buttermilk and egg to well and mix together all ingredients (no NOT overmix, batter should be a little lumpy). Heat large cast iron skillet on medium heat until hot; add bacon and cook until crisp. Remove skillet from heat and place bacon on paper towels to drain. Cautiously divide rendered bacon fat between the cast iron skillet and a medium-sized sauté pan (deep skillet).

3. On medium heat, heat cast iron skillet (with bacon fat). You will need at least 2 tablespoons of bacon fat; if you don't have enough, add a little canola oil or vegetable oil. When fat begins to shimmer, place a generous tablespoonful of pone mixture in skillet to make one pone bread. Leaving space between each, make 7 more pone breads. (If your skillet isn't big enough, make them in two batches.) Press down the center of each with the back of a tablespoon to flatten. When pone breads begin to brown around the edges, turn using a spatula. Cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and place on paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

4. Cook fish: Pat fillets dry with paper towels. Season lightly with salt, pepper and Old Bay Seasoning. Heat the sauté pan (with bacon grease) on medium heat. When fat begins to shimmer, add fillets in single layer (for best results place skin side down . Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until edges start to brown. If pan needs more fat, add butter. Turn fillets with spatula and cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until fish becomes opaque. Remove from pan and place on paper towels to drain.

5. To serve, place one pone bread on each of 4 dinner plates. Top each with some slaw. Crumble bacon and place on top of slaw. Place the pan-seared fish fillet on top of slaw. Lean a pone bread against each fish fillet. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges. Serve.

Source: Jon Gibson, Executive Chef, The Beachcomber Café in Crystal Cove, Newport Coast. Parking for the entire Historic District is at the Los Trancos parking lot located on the east side of Pacific Coast Highway. You may pick up The Beachcomber Shuttle at the picnic bench and umbrella adjacent to the park's office building. The Beachcomber will validate your $15.00 parking ticket with a purchase of $15.00 or more at The Beachcomber.

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